


Through a Glass Starkly

by hotchoco195



Series: Stark Raving Mad [3]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Fashion & Couture, FrostIron - Freeform, Genderfluid, Gift Giving, Loki Feels, M/M, Married Life, Odin's Parenting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-16
Updated: 2014-03-16
Packaged: 2018-01-15 23:11:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1322755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hotchoco195/pseuds/hotchoco195
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Loki gets a little hung up on a dress. Tony doesn't understand why it's so important until someone points out not everyone sees life through his eyes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Through a Glass Starkly

“Lokes!” Tony yelled, trotting down the stairs into the penthouse’s main space, “Lokes! Jarv, help me out here?”

“Master Laufeyson is in the bedroom.”

“I thought I told you to stop calling him that.” he headed down the hall.

“And I told him to continue.” Loki drawled, looking up as Tony entered. He was wearing just leather pants, hair loose and dishevelled, with a book open on the bed.

“You’re a Stark now, baby,” the genius purred, climbing up behind him and pressing kisses to his bare shoulders, “Get used to it.”

“Did you want something?” the god smirked.

“It’s just shuffled down the list of priorities.”

“And what’s the new number one?”

“Fuck my husband into the sheets until he moans so loud the lights flicker.”

The taller man turned, rolling underneath Tony so he could see his face. “As enticing as that sounds, it will have to wait.”

“Why? What? No!” he pouted.

“Because I want to hear what your important thing was. And my curiosity is _boundless_ , my love.”

“Ugh, fine. Stark Industries does a lot of charity work, as you know, and they’ve decided to give us a pretty little achievement award in recognition of our contributions. So you and I are gonna get all dressed up and go drink fancy champagne with lots of very nice, very self-righteous people.”

“We do that anyway.”

“This is the serious shit though. Senators and stuff.”

“Will I be attending as Lola or Loki?” he ran his hands down Tony’s back.

“I don’t see why you can’t be you.”

“Because while your people have accepted me as a tentative Avenger, saying I’m Tony Stark’s husband is a bit too far?”

“Uh, well. It might tank our shares a bit.”

“It’s fine. I quite enjoy your Midgardian formal wear anyway. Darcy and I can go shopping.”

Tony lifted himself up on his arms. “Oh no.”

“Oh no what?”

“Oh no, you’ve got that glint in your eyes that means you’re going to spend the next week on a dress hunt that will probably span continents and cost more than I wanna know.”

“It is not as if we are poor, Tony.”

“No, but all that comes with way too much clothing-related talk.”

Loki brushed his lips against the billionaire’s ear. “How about I make you a promise then? You shall fuck me well tonight and I will not say a word about clothing, dresses or otherwise, until after the event?”

“Deal.”

 

Darcy was transferring a stack of printouts from her desk to Jane’s when Loki suddenly appeared on the other side of the counter.

“Darcy.”

“Whoa!” she jumped back, papers scattering, “Dude, don’t do that!”

“Apologies.”

“Apologies indeed.” She muttered, bending down to straighten the mess.

“I do not imagine you will be angry with me very long.”

“Why? Do you have cupcakes?” her head snapped up.

“Better. I am in need of a new evening gown.”

“You have like fifty, drama queen.”

“But this one needs to be special. It is my first appearance as Mrs Stark.”

“And you wanna look good for the press?”

“I want to remind Tony why he married me.”

“I think he has a pretty good idea why. Bruce keeps complaining about walking in on the two of you.”

“Then he should knock.”

“In the kitchen?” she raised a brow.

“A fair point. Will you come shopping with me or not?”

“I have all this shit to re-sort for Jane, asshole.”

He snapped his fingers impatiently and the pages flew into the air, rearranging themselves and floating down to land in a neat stack on the desk.

“Wicked!” Darcy leaned in, “Wait – this isn’t the stuff I printed.”

“No, I have adjusted it for accuracy. Now you are free to come, yes?”

“Let me leave a note at least. Where are we looking?”

“I thought we’d start in Paris.”

“Paris! Fun. We poppin’ our way there?”

“Taking Tony’s jet, actually.”

She frowned. “Why the lame Midgardian transport? Not that private jets aren’t totally awesome but beaming yourself places Trekkie style is unbelievably more kickass.”

“We shall use the time to review several red carpet recordings of celebrities and the last two years’ worth of Vogue to put together a list of qualities I am looking for.”

“Wow,” her brows shot up, “You’re taking this as seriously as your wedding dress.”

“Is it not a kind of marriage? Lola Stark taking the public, for better or for worse? If I cannot change their opinion of me as a villain, I shall foster their love as a humanitarian.”

“That’s actually…really sweet.”

He made a scornful noise and looked away. Darcy smiled and hugged him quickly.

“Alright, outfit selection process beginning now!”

*****

“I can’t believe they require more than a week’s notice to run something up. You’re married to goddamn _Iron Man_. They should be paying you for that kind of publicity.”

“As if I would want something off the rack for an event like this.”

Tony leaned his head back against the edge of the couch, twisting to see as Darcy and Loki walked in. Darcy opened her mouth to say something else and Loki held up his hand, eying the engineer with a smirk.

“A brief pause, Darcy. I have promised Tony no dress talk.”

“I take it shopping didn’t go so well.”

“We have inspiration.” The brunette held up two bulging plastic bags full of magazines.

Loki shushed her, smiling at his husband. “Do not fret, Tony. We won’t bother you with the details. Come along, Darcy.”

“Uh, okay. See ya later, T-man.”

“Do I get a kiss?” he called after them as the pair disappeared into Loki’s study.

“Later!”

The door closed with a snap and Tony stuck his lip out. “But I wanted one now.”

 

Two days later Tony walked into the break room at SHIELD and found the god and Darcy bent over a loose sheet of paper, pointing to something on the page.

“What’s that?”

Loki straightened, spiriting the design away somewhere magically. “Nothing of importance.”

Tony’s gaze narrowed. “You know you make me worried when you play innocent, _mischief god_.”

“It is only for the award ceremony gown. I won’t bore you with it.”

“I dunno. I mean if it interests you, it interests me.”

Loki stroked his cheek, giving him a peck. “Truly my love, I will not inflict it on you.”

He brushed past and Tony glanced at Darcy. “He’s stubborn when he thinks I need a lesson.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She winked.

“How _is_ the dress hunt going? If you’re having any difficulties I can make some calls.”

“Lokes is perfectly capable of handling it. Don’t stress, Tone. It’s gonna be great.”

“Really?” he raised a brow, leering, “How great?”

“You don’t want to know, remember? You’ll just have to wait and find out with everyone else.” She stood, gathering her things and hugging them to her chest as she swept out.

“Aw come on, don’t be a tease!” Tony called after her.

“You callin’ my woman a tease, Stark?” Clint raised a brow, folding his arms.

“Well yeah.”

The archer grinned. “It’s what I like about her.”

“You would, you…masochist.”

“Have you been talking to Nat again?”

 

“Lokes? Are you hungry?” Tony called as he headed for the bar.

“Not yet!” the other man yelled through his study door.

“Well do you wanna help me decide what we’re having so I can order later?”

“I’m otherwise occupied. Just feed yourself!”

“Lokes, you have to eat.”

“Later!”

He huffed, walking over to open the door. Tony got a glimpse of Loki looking at a wall of photos before the door slammed shut.

“Hey! What the fuck?”

“I’ll eat later.”

“Not cool, babe!”

The door opened just enough for Loki to stick his head through. “This is what you wanted, yes? I am merely fulfilling your wishes.”

“You don’t have to hide like a fucking hermit.”

“I am sorry if I offended you. I shall come out for dinner in half an hour.” He grinned, blowing Tony a kiss before slamming the door again.

“Yeah, sure. I guess.” He waved a hand helplessly, heading back to his drink.

 

Darcy opened the door and snorted. “Stark? Why’d you drag your ass all the way to my neighbourhood?”

“Can I come in or are we gonna discuss my personal life in the hallway?”

She stood aside, shutting it behind him and heading for the kitchen. “You sound like you need a drink.”

He flopped onto the couch as she took down two glasses. “I just had another argument with Lokes about him staying up all night to work on this stupid dress.”

“So? You stay up to work on inventions all the time.”

“He’s just…obsessed with it. I’ve never seen him like this before, at least not since the whole Chitauri temporary insanity thing.”

She looked over. “And you think he’s fallen off the deep end again?”

“I just wanna know if I should be concerned. I mean, he’s being so persistent about keeping me out of it. I didn’t think he’d be so mad just because I made one whiny comment. It’s not like I accused him of being a bimbo or anything.”

She carried their wine over and sat next to him with a sigh. “Dude, he’s not mad at you.”

“Why is he being so impossible then?”

“He wants to surprise you, idiot.”

“Okayyy…still doesn’t explain the fanatical designing.”

She took a sip, looking around as she searched for the words. “Tony, this dress isn’t just a dress to Lokes. This is his image as the wife of an Avenger – the wife of Tony Stark, Iron Man, hero and genius. He wants to look like he’s worthy of you.”

“He should know that by now. I married him – twice. I think travelling between realms to go through a whole crazy pagan wedding is proof I think he’s worth the trouble.”

She sat back, swirling the contents of her glass. “Loki has a huge chip on his shoulder thanks to Daddy Odin’s racism and his abandonment issues. He needs to be loved so badly and he’s constantly afraid he’s not someone who deserves it. After what he did when he first came here, ‘Loki’ might be tolerated but he’ll never be loved like you and Steve and Bruce. ‘Lola’ is his second chance.”

He sighed, looking at the ceiling. “I am an idiot.”

“Told you so.”

“He’s just so amazing I forget not everyone thinks that, especially him.”

“He wants this dress to be perfect so that no one can say you don’t have the best, hottest, nicest wife in the whole world.”

“He doesn’t need a dress to prove that. And I’m going to make sure he knows it.”

*****

Tony didn’t ask about the dress again or bother Loki when he was clearly working on it. The morning of the ceremony, he kissed the god’s head as he passed the breakfast table.

“I’ve got meetings with Pep and some potential customers all afternoon so I’m gonna change in my office and pick you up here on the way to the event. Is that cool?”

“It sounds efficient. You know I hate to have you underfoot when I’m getting ready.”

“What can I say?” Tony shrugged, “You half-naked is very distracting.”

“For both of us.” Loki smiled dryly.

“Well maybe you can send me some photos or something. Since I’m gonna miss the real thing.”

“Why on Earth would I want to do that when it’s so much more fun to make you wait?”

“You’ve been spending too much time with Darcy.”

“Where do you think she learned all her tricks?”

Tony fixed his breakfast and dressed and packed his tux in a bag before heading to the main S.I. plant in Queens, where he spent the entire day listening to a bunch of bozos dither about their purchases and shutting his mouth every time Pepper gave him a warning look. By the time he changed and climbed into the car back to Stark Tower, he was in desperate need of either a Sloe Comfortable screw (the cocktail _and_ the activity) or a supervillain with a face he could punch in.

“Jarv, let Lokes know we’ll be pulling up in ten.”

“I have already informed him, sir.”

“That’s why you’re the best.”

He took care of his need for a drink with the contents of the limo minibar, contemplating whether or not he’d be able to convince Loki to take care of the other bit on the ride to the hotel. They drifted through the heavy afternoon traffic and pulled up to the kerb outside. Tony leaned forward and patted Happy’s shoulder.

“Two secs chief.”

He slid out and went into the lobby. Tony stuck his hands in his pockets, smiling at the receptionist while he waited. The lift doors opened with a ding and Loki stepped out, and Tony felt like all the breath in his body had been sucked out, along with every square inch of air in the Tower.

The god was in long, sleek gown with a modest but flattering v-neck finished off by a twisted chain belt under her bust. The train swept out regally, nothing ridiculous, just enough to remind him of Thor’s cape. It emphasised all her best features, her height and willowy figure, the long curly hair pinned to the side so it hung over one shoulder. And it was in his colours, her jewellery gold too, a huge lacy gold comb in her hair.

“Well?” the god smiled as she did a slow spin to show off the low back.

Tony closed the gap between them in two short strides, hand on her jaw. “You are fucking incredible.”

She twitched her lips. “It’s not too simple for Mr Flash and Awe?”

“It’s perfect because it’s on you.”

She blushed, rubbing her face against his fingers affectionately. Tony grinned.

“Am I allowed to kiss you or will it ruin your makeup?”

“I can always fix that in the car.”

“And if I want to mess up more than that?” he snickered.

Loki bit her tongue as she looked him over. “Well I can fix that too.”

 

They pulled up to the Waldorf Astoria a little behind schedule, but very content. Tony glanced outside at the press pack lining the path to the door and took her hand.

“Ready?”

“I am a prince, Tony. I can handle a crowd.” She said haughtily.

“Why am I even asking? You’re gonna blow them away.”

He opened the door and got out, offering her a hand. Loki took it with a small smile as cameras started flashing around them. He made sure to draw her close as they started up the carpet, waving to the reporters without stopping to comment. Tony ushered her into the main ballroom and quickly spotted Pepper standing with a group of older men near the bar.

“I suppose we should say hello,” he mumbled, “Seems the thing to do.”

“Well when they’re giving you accolades, yes.” Loki snorted.

They breezed over, Pepper giving him a look that he interpreted as grateful that he’d actually shown up as they approached.

“Pep, looking good.” He kissed her cheek.

“Hi Tony. You look amazing, Lola.” She smiled at Loki warmly.

“Doesn’t she just?” the genius slid an arm around her waist.

“Tony, this is Mr Norman Hall from the nominations panel, his colleague Dr Robert Shaw and Jim Havelock from the New Yorker.”

“Nice to meet you gentlemen. I think you all know me by now, but you haven’t met my remarkable wife Lola.”

Loki shook their hands politely. “He exaggerates. We’re just so flattered by your gesture here. It’s good to know I’m not the only person in the world who sees him as a hero.”

Hall smiled. “He’s that alright. He’s lucky to have someone who gives such worthy praise.”

“I am the lucky one.” She rested a hand on Tony’s chest.

“So how did you two meet?” Havelock asked, “If I’m not being too bold.”

“I tried to take over the world.”

There was an awkward silence for a moment before Pepper laughed, the others joining in slowly as Loki beamed.

“No, sometimes I think it would have been better if that was true, given all the time he spends off fighting people. We wouldn’t have had to cut so many dates short.”

“I prefer dates that don’t end in arrests or broken bones.” Tony joked.

“We met through a mutual friend,” Loki continued, “The boring, normal way.”

“There was nothing boring about it.” Tony squeezed her hip.

“They’ll be telling us to take our seats in a minute,” Dr Shaw looked around, “I think we’d better move.”

“So long as there are drinks and canapés, I’m good.” Tony grinned.

 

He took another swig of his champagne when the speeches started, leaning over to whisper. “What a drag.”

Loki smothered a giggle and put on a straight face. “You are being honoured, Tony. It’s supposed to be enjoyable.”

“I’ve been honoured enough for one lifetime already.”

“This from a man who never tires of telling everyone how brilliant he is.”

“Shh, you’ll miss it.” He smirked.

“So for their tireless drive not only to improve the lives of others but to encourage their peers to do the same, we present this award for philanthropic efforts to Stark Industries!”

“Showtime.” Tony muttered as he and Pepper stood amongst the cheers and applause. Loki gave him a look so proud he had to duck his head to hide a huge smile. The pair made their way onstage, Tony accepting the statue with a quick handshake. The presenter shoved him towards the mike and he sighed internally, gripping the podium one-handed.

“Well. This is a lot better than some of my other claims to fame.”

The crowd laughed softly, Pepper giving him her usual fond but resigned look.

“More than half the credit for this goes to the woman at my side. I may have had the inclination to do what I could to make up for some of the evils in this world, but without her none of it would have happened. Or it would have, just a lot messier and less efficiently.”

They clapped and he nodded.

“Yeah! Let’s give a big hand for Pepper.”

She shoved him half-heartedly, looking away as the applause got louder for a moment before fading out again.

“In fact, if I had to put a number on it I’d say I’m only responsible for maybe 12% of this award. And I wouldn’t even have that without another, very important woman,” he looked at Loki, “My wife Lola, who has been the most unexpected and the most life-changing thing that’s ever happened to me.”

The god looked down at her hands and he continued.

“I’m not a perfect man. Far from it, as I think you all know. But Lola makes me want to be better. She pushes me along when doing the right thing gets scary, and she shores me up when it seems like nothing’s working. I couldn’t give happiness and comfort to anyone if she wasn’t giving me so much I can’t even contain it, every second of every day. Lola honey, you should be the one up here getting the applause. God knows I don’t deserve it.”

He blew Loki a kiss and stepped back, letting Pepper take care of all the official thankyous and PR shit. Tony’s eyes never wavered from the emerald green pools boring into him across the room.

 

Loki didn’t wait for him to reach the table, getting up to meet them halfway as they came offstage. She took Tony’s hands, not saying anything as she stared at him in awe. Pepper smiled at them awkwardly.

“I’ll give you guys a moment.” She hurried back to her seat.

“Your grip’s kinda tight there, sweetheart.” Tony winced.

“You…you are the most wondrous man in all the Nine.”

“I just told the truth, babe. You do deserve the recognition more than me, because nothing I do would be possible without you. And you should never forget it.”

She kissed him, mindful of the people surrounding them, trying to put as much of herself into it as she could without actually leaving her body. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her close for a moment before breaking away.

“Now, do you think you can control all these sappy PDAs for another half hour so we can leave at a suitable time, or are we gonna ruin my epic speech by being bad-mannered and horny?”

Loki chuckled with a sniff. “I never thought I’d hear you giving lectures on manners.”

“Early it is then.”

“Oh no, I am not having Lady Pepper blame me for your impatience. We’ll stay.”

*****

Loki woke later than usual, rolling over to find Tony’s side already empty. The sheets were cold and the god assumed his other half had run down to the workshop with some early morning epiphany. He glanced at the bedside table and spotted a small rectangular box with a big white note that said _Loki_.

Curious, he wriggled closer and picked it up. There was nothing else on the card, just his name. He opened the box and lifted out a gold bracelet. It had short lengths of chain at both ends and a flat, narrow plaque in the middle. One side was set with three miniature replicas of the arc reactor in diamonds and rubies. He smiled to himself and turned it over. The back was plain except for a single line in curling script.

 _I am Tony’s heart_.

He took a shaky breath, fingers running over the chain as he stared at the words. Loki had never been responsible for something so precious before. He still thought the human was crazy to even trust him, let alone love him.

“Jarvis, where is Tony now?”

 

Tony was welding when the music suddenly switched from some very hardcore Norwegian death metal to a slow, smooth jazz number.

“Jarvis, what the hell?” he turned off the torch, sitting up.

“I told him to do it.”

He raised a brow at Loki standing by the workshop door, holding a sheet up around his bare chest, the bracelet sparkling on his wrist.

“I think I need to fiddle with his programming. Something about making my orders top priority.”

“It’s not my fault if I have a persuasive tongue.” Loki shook his head slowly as he sauntered closer.

Tony pushed his stool back from the workbench. “I take it you liked my present.”

“Did you think I needed the reminder?”

“Maybe.”

The god straddled his lap, Tony’s hands cupping his ass through the sheet as he pressed his hands to the inventor’s chest on either side of the real arc reactor.

“So I am your heart now, hmm?”

“You’re my everything, Lokes. It all belongs to you.”

The trickster leaned in and rested his forehead against Tony’s, sighing quietly. “You are a fool.”

“Have I ever been wrong before?”

“Many, many times.”

“Have to be right eventually then, don’t I?”

“I have done nothing in all my long life to merit your love.”

“Bullshit. You don’t have to _earn_ people’s love. It’s not a thing that I can choose to give and take away. You’re Loki. I love you as easily as breathing, and it would be as terrible to stop.”

Loki kissed him, slow at first and moving into hungrier territory as his hands roamed over the billionaire.

“Am I now required to give you something to remind you that you are not so selfish and immature as you think?”

“That depends. Is it gonna be this cool and stylish?”

“You know my tastes well enough by now, my love.”

Tony kissed him again, biting back a moan when Loki nipped his lip. “Then give me whatever you like.”

“I shall call Darcy. We’ll make it an outing.”

“Whatever you like.”


End file.
